BlogHer - Congratulations, You're a Woman Now! - Seeking Submissions for an Anthology of Period Stories - Comments

My Response

I Am A Queen.. Respect Me — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:56:51 -0500

Alright, now i can joke about stuff like this, but at the time, i was MORTIFIED!

It was my freshman year I was at Phillipsburg High School ( this wasnt my first period, but a dreaded time!) . I was sitting in History class, for what seemed like forever, especially with block scheduling. When class finally ended I got up out of my desk and my pants felt a little wet. I thought it was just like swamp@ss or something. Little did I know my pants were covered in blood. COVERED! I was so embarassed that I went to the nurse and the nurse was gonna make me stay the day in school!!!!

~* I Am A Queen.. So Respect Me!! *~

- - No Disrespect to anyone. - -

I have a couple of doozies

Zappy5971 — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:38:15 -0500

Laugh and the World laughs with you. Cry and your makeup will run...................

Ok, you have to remember that I am from the UK. So if I use terms you don't understand then just contact me and I will clarify.

I grew up in a one parent family, and the one parent was my Dad. So as you can imagine, the preamble to menstruation wasn't that well explained, even though he did his best. Bless him,

He did the best to explain what would happen (better than some Moms as it turns out) and bought me pads etc. But when it finally happened and I had run out of the first batch, he gave me money and sent me to the grocery store to buy more. The shopkeeper was elderly, and male. I was SO embarassed, a shy 12 year old buying tampax for the first time. "Can I have a box of tampax" I mumbled. He asked me again as he hadn't heard. Tampax I said, quite loudly I thought. Bear in mind this was a very old fashioned grocery store. He got a step ladder and positioned it by the shelves. He huffed and puffed his way up the steps and came back down with a box of ......wait for it.......Cornflakes. I was so embarassed I bought them and took them back home. I explained the situation to my Dad who laughed til he cried, then said. Well that takes care of that, but won't they crackle when you walk. God I miss that Man.

The other one was my first Christmas dance at school. Kind of like a prom. I was having only my second period and using tampax (yeah my Dad got them) for the first time. I was desperate for a wee, and didn't know that you could go with the tampax in place. (I never took enough notice in Biology class). So I was at the dance for half an hour and had to go home, because I wanted to wee. Oh the curse of innocence.

How about being a mom to a dau when she starts?

Jill Miller Zimon — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:08:07 -0500

My mother just ignored me. :)

But - I have quite the story about my daughter - then again, maybe she wouldn't like that, eh!?

Love your idea though Suzanne - you are on a book streak!

Jill
Writes Like She Talks

I'm submitting!

Maria0305 — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:38:27 -0500

As soon as I can remember it in better detail. This will take some concentration. It was 10 years ago now...

- Maria

http://immoralmatriarch.com

I'm so in

super des — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:30:03 -0500

I'm pretty sure I blogged my story when you first brought up this book, but I'll have to dig through my archives to find it.

Finally, a place for my period story!

Melissa Ford — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:41:50 -0500

I have been looking for a place to tell my "price check on these tampons" story :-) I'm heading over later today to tell you the story about two girls, a sassy magazine, a box of tampons, and many years of friendship. All because of a period.

Venting about infertility since 2006
www.stirrup-queens.blogspot.com
and we're not talkin' cowgirls...

Congratulations, You're a Woman Now! - Seeking Submissions for an Anthology of Period Stories

Suzanne Reisman — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:55:07 -0500

My friend Alex Elliot and I are soliciting stories for an anthology of stories about what happened when you first began menstruating. Stories can be funny, poignant, hair-raising, or whatever best captures what it was like when you first got your period, bought pads by yourself at the drug store, or tried putting in a tampon. Guidelines, deadlines, and other lines can be found at Congratulations, You're A Woman Now!. We are hoping to get stories that reflect the cultural and generational diversity of women in America, so please pass on the word! Since I'm asking you to share your stories with me, I think it is only fair that I share mine upfront.

One morning approximately three weeks before my 12th birthday, I woke up with a stomach ache. Because I disliked many aspects of school and preferred to stay up all hours of the night reading, I frequently woke up with a “stomach ache.” However, this day was different. My sides hurt like hell, and so assuming that a major bought of diarrhea or something was in store for me, I convinced my parents to let me stay home. I went back to bed, hoping it would go away if I out-slept it.

When I woke up a few hours later, the discomfort was worse than ever. I went to the bathroom and waited for an eruption, but none came. After a while, I figured it was safe to leave the toilet and move into a pleasant day of watching TV and reading. Then I noticed the blood. Oh shit. I should have known better, really. I’d read Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret at least two years before. Margaret’s friend warned her about cramps. On the other hand, Margaret and her pals were demented enough to actually want their periods, so what did they know?

At some point earlier in the year, it occurred to me that nature would inevitably screw me, so I obtained a free sample of tampons in the mail after I saw an ad in Seventeen magazine assuring young women that you can use tampons from your very first time. I shoved one in with no problem, and crying, I called my mom at work.

“I know why my stomach hurts,” I sobbed.

My mom was alarmed. “What’s wrong?”

“I got my period!!!” I was howling by now.

I don’t know what she said next, but I’m sure it was some sweet thing meant to calm me down before getting practical. “Do you need some pads? I have some in my closet.”

“No, I used a tampon.”

“What?!?! Is that a good idea? I better ask the doctor.”

“No!!! Forget it!” I was enraged. What the hell did she need to call the doctor for? There was nothing he could do about it. And what was it his damn business anyway. I was sorry I said anything. “I’m going back to bed.” I slammed the phone down.

A few hours later, she called back to check in. “How are you feeling?” Without waiting for much of an answer, she went on. “I spoke to Dr. Sherman, and he said congratulations,” she informed me.

I was outraged. “Congratulations?!?! Congratulations?!?! Easy for him to say. Blood isn’t going to ooze out of his crotch every month for the next 45 years. Asshole! Tell him to fuck himself!” (I swear I said this.)

My mom ignored my outburst. “Well, he also said it’s OK to use tampons.”

“Goodie for him,” I replied sarcastically. “I’m using them anyway.”

And I did, without any detriment to my health, sanity, or virginity.

What happened when you got your first period?